End of the Game
by Shaz1
Summary: Sam notices that his partner appears to be off his game- distracted and distant what exactly is bothering Callen and will it interfere with their new case?
1. Chapter 1

End of the Game

None of the recognised characters belong to me- as much as I truly wish that they did, so please don't sue me!

This is set somewhere along season three- so the events in Romania have happened and Hetty has admitted to Callen that she knew his mother.

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End of the Game

Callen sighed as he slung his bag over his shoulder and headed out to meet his partner, he was beginning to feel restless. He knew exactly what the feeling meant, but it had been seven years since he had felt it. This time it had almost caught him unaware, it never ceased to amaze him how quickly feelings and perceptions could change, how the tiniest of action could change your world in a millisecond. This was the first time he had allowed himself to be close enough that it had actually hurt him this deeply though and it was the first time in his life he had felt such deeply running indecision. He moved quickly through the streets and within ten minutes he was at the coffee cart and ordering for himself and his partner and a few moments after that he was sat beside the closest thing to a brother he had ever had.

"You good G?" Sam queried sensing a cloud hanging over his best friend.

"I'm good- why wouldn't I be?" Callen responded with a flash of a grin.

"No reason, you just seem a bit off that's all" Sam replied, eyeing his partner up carefully as he spoke.

"I'm fine Sam" Callen reiterated.

"Okay- well whenever you feel like telling me what it is just let me know" Sam stated, not believing his friend for a second. Callen ignored the comment and continued to stare out of the window, lacking the energy or the inclination to argue with his friend.

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Eric moved to the landing and let out an almighty whistle- proud that the group assembled below took the hint and immediately looked up to him.

"New case guys" he called, heading back to Ops and knowing that they would follow. He was surprised when Kensi, Deeks and Sam joined him within seconds the team leader a minute or two behind, but refrained from commenting on it.

"What have we got Eric?" Callen asked with a sigh, crossing his arms and leaning back against the desk.

"Homeland security notified us of an address close to Venice, intel has been received to state that it is potentially linked to a terrorist cell that follow Al Qaida. A FBI agent has since been observed going into the address- as such this represents a possible security breach that we cannot allow to continue" Hetty stated to the assembled team. "This is to be handled with the usual discretion I expect of this team" she added looking pointedly at each of them.

"What's the plan?" Callen asked casually.

"We have the file of the agent involved- this is top level clearance, even the agent's supervisor is not aware of this investigation. Study it- get to know him and make enquiries as to his integrity, but off the radar" the ops manager instructed.

"Kensi and Deeks make a start on that. Eric, how often has he frequented this premises?" Callen asked, trying to gather as much information as possible.

"At least once every couple of days" Eric responded.

"Any information on other people coming or going?" he asked.

"None of any assistance" the tech replied.

"Sam and I will watch the house- see what we can gather" Callen finally stated, "Sam I have a quick lead to run- can you take first watch?"

"What lead? You didn't even know about the case?" Sam queried.

"Different case" Callen replied already heading out of the door.

"What has got into him?" Kensi asked the remaining senior agent as the team leader disappeared out of sight.

"I have no idea" Sam replied with a sigh, shaking his head at whatever his partner appeared to be up to this time.

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Sam was beyond frustrated- he had been sat outside the house for over two hours with no sign of his partner. He cursed to himself as he considered that his friend hadn't even text to say he was on his way and hadn't replied to his calls. Whatever was going on with the younger man was starting to get in the way of work- and he was determined to find out what it was. He looked up as a car pulled onto the street- registering the licence plate he relaxed as he saw that the object of his thoughts had arrived at last. He poured himself another drink from his flask as his partner moved quickly towards him before stepping into the challenger.

"Sorry Sam- I got held up" he immediately apologised.

"Held up? You going to tell me what's going on G?" Sam asked, trying to keep his frustration from his voice.

"Sam I already told you nothing is going on- everything is just peachy. Now has there been any activity?" Callen asked.

"Nada- not a soul all day" Sam responded, his concern escalating at his partner's continued efforts to avoid the question.

"Why don't you head out and get some lunch- I'll stay here" Callen suggested as an olive branch.

"You're volunteering for a stakeout? Alone? With no one to irritate?" Sam questioned in surprise.

"Fine- if you want to stay all day in the blazing sun without a break that's fine by me" Callen countered.

"Why are you trying to avoid me G?" Sam asked- hitting the nail on the head as he always seemed to do where his partner was concerned. Callen couldn't say why he was so keen to avoid his partner's company, he just knew that his friend was probably the only person to walk the earth that was capable of eventually forcing him to reveal at least some of his thoughts or emotions- and he just didn't feel ready to speak to Sam, things weren't clear enough in his own mind for him to speak so openly to his friend yet.

"Why would I be avoiding you Sam? That makes no sense" Callen countered innocently.

"Fine- I'll go and get us some lunch and be back in thirty" Sam finally relented. Callen nodded as he stepped out of the car and headed back to his own. Sam shook his head as he watched his partner walk away- he was sure that special Agent G Callen would be the death of him one day- that was if he didn't lose his own life first.

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"Mr Hanna? I thought you were on a stakeout with your partner?" Hetty queried as she saw Sam walking into the mission.

"G is covering it while I get us some lunch" Sam replied as he walked over to her office. "What's going on Hetty?" he asked cutting straight to the quick.

"Going on Mr Hanna? Going on with what exactly?" the ops manager asked in confusion.

"Going on with G, I know that you know something Hetty"

"Why do you think something is going on with your partner?" she asked sitting back in her desk chair.

"He is acting strangely- even more so than usual" Sam responded as he took a seat. "He seems distracted, and distant"

"Have you spoken with him?"

"He says nothing is wrong"

"But you don't believe him?"

"Well would you? Callen doesn't let anything show, something is definitely not right Hetty- he never closes off to me this much" Sam commented, concern for his friend written all over his face as he spoke.

"I will speak to him" Hetty promised. "Keep digging Mr Hanna and keep me updated" she requested, not happy with the development. She couldn't help but think that things had been a little tense between her and her team leader since Hunter had left- there were things that she had revealed to the team leader that she had carried with her for years and not told him- she just hoped that it wasn't related to his apparent current slump.

End Chapter One

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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

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Chapter Two

Sam was none the wiser as he drove back to meet his partner, he had hoped that Hetty would have been able to shed some light on his partner's current mood, yet the conversation had in fact been less than helpful. He had stopped by a bakery on his way back and bought them both some lunch- hoping that the food would help draw some information out of his friend- although even he doubted it. He indicated and parked up, jumping out of the car and making the short walk to his friend, opening the door he slid into the passenger seat of the Jag and handed the paper bag to his friend.

"You bought me lunch?" Callen queried in surprise.

"Well yeah- I would bet my last dollar that you didn't eat earlier" Sam responded.

"Thanks" Callen replied as he opened up the bag and took out the sandwich that his friend had thoughtfully provided. He cursed in his own mind at his friend's thoughtfulness, his relationship with Sam was the closest thing he had ever had to family and it made everything so much harder. He wouldn't ever regret his friendship with the big former navy seal but he did regret the hurt and worry that he knew he caused him.

"You not going to eat it?" Sam asked his friend as the team leader sat staring at the as yet untouched sandwich.

"What?" Callen queried, pulled from his reverie.

"You are supposed to eat it- not just look at it" Sam clarified. "What's going on G?"

"Nothing- sorry just got distracted" the younger man replied taking a bite from the sandwich to prove his point. Sam shook his head in irritation.

"Has anyone been whilst you were watching?" Sam asked, changing the subject to avoid pushing his friend away.

"Just two currently unknown males- I have sent their pictures to Eric, just awaiting facial recognition" Callen replied.

"They still in there?"

"Yep- been there for forty minutes, I got a picture of the occupant too, so we'll wait and see what it flashes up"

"You heard from Hetty?" Sam asked, not missing the brief flash that crossed his partner's face at the question and the subtle tension in his shoulders.

"No- should I have?"

"No I just wondered if there was any more information" Sam stated confused at his friend's reaction.

"You know Hetty Sam- she will tell you what you need to know only when she is ready to tell you" Callen stated the merest hint of bitterness to his voice.

"I guess so" Sam responded carefully, "has Hetty done something to offend you G?" he asked.

"What could she have possibly done Sam? Listen seriously just stay out of it Sam, nothing for you to worry about" Callen stated, his voice slightly raised. The partners were interrupted by a cell phone ringing. "Go on Eric" he answered.

"Callen those facial recognitions have come back- the two visitors are heavily linked to the Al Qaida organisation" the tech informed the agents.

"And the occupant?"

"That's where it gets strange Callen, I can't access the file- it's been locked by the CIA" he explained.

"Can we get it unlocked in the circumstances?" Sam asked softly.

"I have forwarded it to Hetty- she doesn't seem very quick to speak with them" Nell whispered over the line.

"Really?" Callen queried, not fully surprised by the statement.

"Yes, I figured that you would probably discuss it with her" Nell added, still speaking as quietly as possible.

"I will Nell- thank you" Callen confirmed, before disconnecting the call.

"What the hell is that abut?" Sam asked in confusion.

"Hetty being Hetty" Callen responded. "You okay to stay here while I go and clear a few things up at Ops?" he asked.

"Yeah- stay calm though G" Sam warned gently, worrying what his friend would say in his current frame of mind.

"Calm is my middle name" Callen replied as Sam got out of the Jag to move his own car closer- all of the movement doing little to maintain their discretion- yet knowing that there was nothing that they could do about it.

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Callen took a deep breath before he walked into ops, hoping to maintain the calm façade that he had been using for the last few weeks despite him boiling with anger inside.

"Hetty? What's going on with the CIA blockage?" he asked cutting straight to the chase.

"Ah Mr Callen- cup of tea?" she offered, pouring herself one as she gestured for her team leader to sit down in front of her.

"No thanks- I'm in the middle of a case" Callen refused as he sat down. "What's going on?" he asked again.

"I could ask the same of you Mr Callen- what is going on with you?" Hetty asked being as frank as her agent.

"I have no idea what you are talking about Hetty" Callen responded. "Now what is going on with the CIA?" he asked again.

"What is going on, Mr Callen, is that the person that you photographed flashed up as a person of interest to the CIA- for whatever reason the file is locked. I have sent the information to the director who has requested disclosure- now is there something else that you want me to do?" the ops manager queried.

"Thank you" Callen simply replied getting to his feet and making to leave.

"Whatever is eating at you Mr Callen- you need to let it out" she stated, her words causing the agent to hesitate in his steps, before he continued without looking back.

"Everything ok?" Kensi queried as she saw her team leader emerge.

"All good" he responded. "You guys dug anything up?" he asked.

"Not much" Kensi responded. "Jones has been in the FBI for four years, nothing to suggest any wrongdoing. Financials come back normal and a normal relationship with his family" she added.

"Anything from his annual evals?"

"Nope- nothing that suggests poor performance or anything. All in all there is nothing that would lead us to think he is betraying his country" Deeks answered.

"Okay guys, well keep at it. Me and Sam will give it another couple of hours before reconvening here" he replied, speaking as he walked to the door.

"Well that was short and sweet" Deeks commented.

"He does seem to making himself scarce these last few weeks" Kensi agreed. "I thought that with Hunter gone he would have reverted to normal"

"Maybe it isn't just Hunter that is getting to him?" the detective commented.

"Maybe not. We'll speak with Sam when they come back" Kensi stated, turning her attention back to the files in front of her.

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"I'm in the middle of a case at the moment" Callen spoke softly into his cell. "Look just give me a couple of days and I'll call you back" he added- listening intently to the response. "Yes sir, by Friday at 5pm sharp" he agreed before disconnecting the call. He walked quickly to his car to rejoin his partner, the sooner they got this case completed the better.

End Chapter Two

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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

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Chapter Three

The stakeout continued for two more hours with Callen sucking his tootsie pops and Sam folding the papers- almost back to normality for a little while almost able to forget everything that was playing on his mind. Finally the two senior agents had to call it a day- gathering as much information as they could they heading back to ops to see if there was any update with the other team members.

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The partners returned just as Kensi and Deeks were packing away the files.

"Given up?" Callen asked with a loose smile.

"Nope! Just nothing else to find- we have read every word repeatedly and there is nothing at all to say that Jones would have turned traitor" Kensi replied tiredly.

"Anything that links the addresses to previous cases he has worked?"

"No, but there is no information on his current deployment" Deeks responded with a sigh. "That was the only thing that was odd in the information- the most recent thing in the file was from four months ago"

"Hetty say why it was so lacking?" Callen queried.

"Nope and she has left for the day" Kensi replied, not missing the serious look on her team leader's face.

"Okay- get Eric to dig deeper, see what else we can find. Nell can run his team members through the system see if anything flashes up against them and then we'll call it a day" Callen instructed softly.

"What about us?" Sam asked as the others headed up the stairs.

"Something isn't adding up in this case Sam- a traitor where the only evidence is him calling at an address? I don't buy it" Callen commented as he sat down at his desk.

"What do you think it is?" Sam asked, agreeing with his partner's observations.

"I have no idea- but I do intend to find out" he responded mysteriously, scooping up his car keys and heading out of the building.

"Where's Callen going?" Kensi asked as she returned to the bull pen.

"I have no idea" Sam stated with a big sigh and yet again his partner headed out without him.

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"What can I do for you Mr Callen?" Hetty asked, unsurprised to find her team leader stood on her doorstep.

"What aren't you telling us Hetty?" Callen asked as he stepped through the door, arms folded across his broad chest.

"Many many things – would you care to be more specific?" she retaliated, regretting her words instantly in their current situation.

"Agent Jones- the file you gave us is beyond lacking, there has to be more to this and I think you know what it is?" Callen challenged her.

"I have no idea Mr Callen, I can only provide you with the information that I have been given. If there are gaps that it is our job to fill them" Hetty reprimanded him. He sighed at the comment, shaking his head at the comment, she was lying to him- he knew that she was out and out lying to him. He had always said that he couldn't work with people that he couldn't trust and she knew it, yet here she was giving him inaccurate information yet again for her own purpose.

"See you tomorrow" he finally stated, turning and leaving without any further comment. Hetty watched him walk away and cursed herself, she was losing him and with every fibre of her being she hoped she could get him back.

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Sam looked up as his partner returned.

"You find anything out?" he queried, noticing his partner's face was drawn in a serious line.

"Only that as usual we are being played" he replied with a sigh as he sat down. He rubbed his hands tiredly over his face. "We're getting nowhere- let's call it a day" he suggested.

"You feel like a beer?" Sam offered. "I'm buying"

"Not tonight Sam- I think I'm going to head to the gym" he declined politely. "See you tomorrow" Sam yet again watched him leave and couldn't help the churning feeling in his stomach that overwhelmed him.

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The next morning the ream reconvened at the office, going through the information that Nell and Eric had produced overnight.

"I think that there's enough here for a warrant" Callen stated as he digested the information. "It gets us through the door of that house"

"You don't want to try something more subtle?" Sam asked in surprise.

"Why drag it out? Ultimately we need to get into that house and get as much information as possible. Our goal is to work out whether Jones has been acting against national security and that's the way of doing so- plus it disrupts a possible terrorist cell" Callen explained. "Kens- speak with Hetty and get the warrant authorised" he instructed carefully. "Everyone else suit up"

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An hour later and the team were assembled, warrant in hand.

"Jack's team are covering the rear, we are taking the front. Anyone in the building gets detained under terrorist legislation. Then a thorough search- everything and anything gets seized" Callen briefed the assembled agents as he showed them a map of the area. "Ready to roll in ten minutes"

Callen checked the clip in his sidearm one last time, placing in back in his thigh holster. He took a deep breath and headed out with his team- knowing in his mind that the case could soon be over with.

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Twenty minutes later and Callen was stood on the step of the house he had spent so much time the previous day watching. He reached out and tried the handle, finding it locked his hand immediately went to his jean's pocket and the lock kit it held within. Within seconds the door was swinging open and Callen was through, his partner by his side as always. The two partners cleared the lower level quickly- Kensi and Deeks following closely behind. As soon as they were happy with the lower level they moved upstairs- finally coming to the master bedroom. Pushing the door open Callen found himself face to face with a very familiar form SIG firmly gripped between his hands and aimed at chest height he took in his surroundings in confusion, gun never wavering.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he questioned.

End Chapter Three

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	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

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Chapter Four

"I could ask you the same Special Agent G Callen- why exactly are you roughshodding over my investigation?" the CIA agent queried with a sneer.

"It's not your investigation Kort" Callen replied with a huff, his gun arm finally lowering slightly as he spoke. He looked slightly over his shoulder as he registered that his partner was beside him.

"Well according to my director it sure as hell is" Kort argued, reholstering his sidearm as he spoke. "Now how about you tell me why you are here and what your investigation is about?" he demanded.

"No way Kort- you give me one good reason why I shouldn't cuff your ass and drag you in for questioning?" Callen stated, reaching in his back pocket for the zip ties that he kept there.

"Feel free- and then I'll have your badge for wrongful arrest" Kort challenged, Callen smirked as he reached and removed his former colleague's gun from his belt.

"Let's go" Callen gestured, leading the older man out to the car and securing him in the rear. "Sam and I will take him to the boat shed- the rest of you finish searching the house" he instructed as he got into the front of the car.

"You are making a huge mistake Callen" Kort warned with a shake of his head.

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"Why exactly have you dragged our CIA colleague in here?" Hetty asked her team leader incredulously.

"You expressly told us to bring anyone from the house back here for interrogation" Callen responded, knowing full well that he was pushing the Ops Manager.

"Mr Callen you know that it did not extend to any of our law enforcement colleagues" Hetty argued.

"Hetty we are supposedly investigating a potential traitor from a law enforcement agency- who is to say that it doesn't go further than we thought" Callen stated.

"Do you really think Kort has any involvement in whatever is going on here? Or is it really a case of trying to get one over on him?" Hetty challenged- hitting the nail on the head.

"Hetty, you wound me" Callen responded, his hands out with open palms in a defensive gesture.

"This is going to take some smoothing over with Director Vance, Mr Callen" she warned before disconnecting the call. Callen rubbed his hands over his face tiredly- knowing that he was at risk of pushing the woman too far.

"What are you doing G?" Sam asked from behind him.

"Trying to solve the case Sam" Callen replied with a long suffering sigh.

"Why are you trying to push Hetty?" the seal pushed.

"I'm just doing my job Sam" the stubborn younger agent replied. "I'm going to get coffee- Kort can stew for a while. You want one?" he offered as he walked out of the boat shed.

"No I'm good" Sam replied, knowing that his partner was already out of ear shot. He sat back on the table and focussed on the screen in front of him, a warped part of him enjoying the obvious discomfort of the CIA agent- the rest of him more worried about his partner's state of mind.

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Callen was gone for more than an hour- Kort sat in the interrogation room the entire time.

"Has he moved?" he queried to his partner as he handed him a takeaway coffee.

"Nope- not a flicker" Sam responded.

"Let's go and have a little chat shall we?" Callen stated.

"You will do no such thing Mr Callen" a third voice interjected. "I have spoken with the director and he has supported the account that Kort was within the premises under specific sanctioned activity" Hetty informed them. Callen sighed at the update, a bubble of anger making its way to the surface.

"Then what is his interest?" he queried with a sigh.

"That is what you will soon get to find out. The two of you are partnering up to conduct a joint investigation. Go and get changed Mr Callen- you have a meet in an hour" Hetty instructed, her voice stern. Callen refrained from even commenting as he simply headed out to wardrobe to do as she had said.

"This is not going to end well" Sam stated.

"You Mr Hanna will make sure that it does" Hetty warned, before yet again disconnecting the call to her agents, and getting back to her paperwork- wishing that she felt as confident as she sounded.

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"That was some stunt that you pulled Callen- I thought you would have got passed such things by now" Kort muttered as he drove the two agents to the restaurant.

"Just doing my job Kort" Callen replied, sunglasses firmly over his eyes and gaze locked out of the window.

"And to hell with the consequences? I thought you had a good number going on here Callen- good team around you, pretty beaches and beautiful women- surely even you can't have screwed it up already?" Kort taunted the other man with a smirk.

"Thank you for the professional opinion on whether I have screwed up or not- how is your fourth wife Kort?" Callen responded, his own face twisted up into a grin as he turned to look at his former colleague.

"Touché" Kort responded. "Now are you happy with your cover?" he asked, deciding to change the subject.

"I have done this before you know- yes I am happy with my cover" Callen replied, his voice carrying a hint of frustration at the question. "What's the plan after this meeting?"

"We return to the house- that's where they think I am living, so it's important to maintain. I have everything we need back there to get all of the information uploaded onto both of our systems while we await the next move" Kort explained, not overly happy at working with his old colleague either. Callen sighed, not exactly looking forward to spending even longer in his old friend's company.

"Great" he finally muttered under his breath.

"I'm not thrilled about it either, old friend" Kort agreed, finally managing to find some common ground.

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"Well that went as according to plan as possible" Kort commented as the two headed back into the large house that would be their home for the next couple of days.

"They'll make contact- without doubt" Callen agreed as he headed towards the fridge and took out two beers.

"Oh yes- I agree. They were more than interested, now we need your guys to follow the trail and find the end source" Kort agreed as he accepted the beer.

"They'll trace it, and then this will finally be over with"

"Cheers to that!"

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"There is still nothing at all that links to the named FBI agent" Eric stated in frustration. "None of the intel exchanging hands has even gone through the FBI" he added.

"Well which agency does it all stem from?" Nell queried.

"Mostly the CIA with the odd snippet from the DEA" Eric responded. "I genuinely don't think that Agent Jones is the dirty one in all this"

"Well where did the information come that Jones was leaking intelligence?" Nell asked softly.

"Maybe that's what somebody wanted us to believe" Eric reasoned. "I'm calling Sam" he added as he hit the speed dial.

"What do you have Eric?" Sam greeted him tiredly.

"Something that I think you need to see" Eric responded. "Something isn't quite right"

"I'll be with you in five" the senior agent responded, trusting that the tech would only have called him back if it was something important.

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"Is Callen aware of this?" Sam asked the analyst team softly.

"No- he is in situ with Kort, it didn't seem prudent to" Eric responded.

"What do we have on Kort?" Sam asked, looking over his shoulder to make sure that they weren't being overheard.

"Not a lot, his file is mostly classified, I can't even get details of the op he is currently working" Nell answered.

"You know for once Callen might be right- none of this is adding up" Sam stated, shaking his head in disgust as he calculated how much misinformation they were currently being fed. "Get me G on the line" he requested.

"Sam?" Eric queried, knowing that if he did that there was no going back.

"Get me G, Eric" the senior agent repeated. Eric refrained from further comment as he turned his attention to following the instruction. Within seconds Sam was in mid conversation with his very calm, yet very angry partner- praying that he had made the right call in updating the already clearly on the edge younger man.

End Chapter Four

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	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

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Chapter Five

G Callen was not a happy man, in fact he was seething- and his mood was made worse by the fact that there was nothing whatsoever that he could do about it. He was still at the house with his former CIA colleague, a man that he trusted roughly about as far as he could throw him- and he was damn sure that someone within NCIS knew exactly what was going on- but it didn't suit them to tell him.

"Everything okay?" Kort asked as he handed the younger man a second bottle of beer.

"Just peachy" Callen replied as he accepted the offering.

"You know you can trust me Callen" Kort stated looking the other agent in the eye, and Callen struggled to suppress a shudder at the thought that Kort had just read his mind.

"I trust you as much as I trust anyone Kort" Callen responded, before turning and heading to his room to quickly get changed and consider his next moves.

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"How did he take it?" Eric asked as Sam disconnected the call.

"You can imagine" the experienced agent replied with a sigh. "Is Hetty in?"

"No, she left around lunch time" Eric responded.

"Make sure that you update her in the morning Eric" Sam requested gently.

"Where are you going?"

"To backup my partner" Sam stated, barely pausing as he headed out of the door. Eric exchanged a glance with Nell as the large former seal left the building- each concerned for the team.

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"No one is even nearby" Deeks complained as he took a sip of his litre mug of coffee.

"Good- that means Callen's cover is intact" Kensi responded as she took a bite of her burger.

"What do you think is going on with him?" the detective queried.

"I have no idea, but whatever it is can't be good" the junior agent responded with a sigh.

"Do you think he would leave?" Deeks asked, hearing the hesitation in his own voice. Kensi paused before she could bring herself to formulate a reply.

"I don't know. I always hoped that we would be enough to keep him here- to actually settle for the first time" Kensi replied slowly. "Something is eating away at him Deeks, and I am really worried that we won't be able to pull him back" she added, her mouth set in a grim line as she spoke.

"If anyone can kensilina it will be you and Sam" Deeks commented with a worried smile of his own.

"And you Deeks- we're a team" Kensi added. "I just don't think it will be enough this time"

"So what do we do?"

"I have no idea" Kensi admitted with a sad sigh, appetite suddenly deserting her she placed the remainder of the burger in the box and put it to one side. "But I intend to come up with something"

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Two days past and Callen was getting beyond fed up. They were no closer to finding the leak- and proving who the dirty agent was, and he couldn't help the burning sensation in his gut that he was not being told everything. There was nothing more pointing towards Kort- despite the update that his partner had provided him- but still he just knew that there was more to this current assignment than met the eye.

"Everything all right?" Kort asked cutting into his thoughts.

"All good, any update?" Callen queried, shrugging his jacket on and turning his full attention back to the CIA man.

"Nothing, I don't know about you- but I am starting to get an uneasy feeling" Kort commented, checking the clip in his gun before holstering it at his hip.

"Do you trust your guys?" Callen asked, his piercing blue eyes cutting straight into the other man.

"I work for the CIA Callen, surely you haven't forgotten it that much" Kort stated with a smirk. "You need to check in with your people- see if you can get a clearer picture" he instructed.

"I already have Kort- nothing forthcoming" he told him with a sigh. "We need to roll with the mission today, then review"

"Fine- but your team had better have our backs" Kort warned with as serious of a face as Callen had seen.

"They always do" Callen commented, and he knew that his words were true and that was the only reason that he was still there.

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Sam couldn't help but pace, hopefully this day would finally bring the end of his partner's undercover stint and then the younger man would be back with him and getting some sense shaken into him.

"Kensi you are taking the blue team and covering the rear of the property. Deeks you are with green at the front and I will tailing G to the location" Sam explained. "We need to identify all of the key players, and hopefully get some intel on who the corrupt agent is- or anything that may link to a government agency. Our agent is in there and we need to make sure that he bring him home" he stated, his face set in a grim line as he knew the danger that the undercover was in at the moment. There was a leak- that much was certain, and they weren't sure where it came from- that could easily mean that Callen had already been made, and if that was the case then he was in trouble.

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"You take the lead" Callen instructed the CIA agent softly. "You are more established- it will be less suspicious" he explained.

"I am also more likely to have been sold out- we both know that a CIA leak is more likely than a NCIS one" Kort commented with a sigh. "It's nearly time to get out of this Callen" he added.

"Get your head straight Kort- you need to stay in the game" Callen warned, his eyes flashing with danger.

"I'll be right here Callen, let's just get this over with" Trent stated, squaring his shoulders and heading towards the door- knowing that his old colleagues could be relied on to be right behind him.

End Chapter Five

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	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Thank you so much for the reviews- I am truly overwhelmed, please keep them coming as there are only a couple of chapters left of this. So sorry for the long delay in posting- real life has well and truly gotten in the week.

Chapter Six

"Do we have audio?" Hetty asked her tech quietly as the footage showed her agent walking into the meeting- his CIA colleague right beside him.

"No, in the circumstances Callen didn't want to risk an ear wig" Eric responded.

"Can our friends at Langley see this footage?" the ops manager queried.

"No- Kort may be camera'd up separately- but if he is we don't have access" Eric responded with a simple shrug.

"Get access Mr Beale" Hetty instructed lightly, knowing that her instructions would be followed.

"Getting access" Eric responded, turning straight back to his computer and tapping the keys- silent in concentration as he set about his task.

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Callen had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach and every fibre of his being was telling him that something was about to go horribly wrong. He stood behind Kort, knowing that the button cam would be doing it's job and that Eric would undoubtedly be running everyone in front of them through facial recognition. There were two faces that he recognised from his observations outside of the house over the last few days. He stood back as Kort spoke with the assembled group- grateful that the CIA agent had managed to get his head back in the game and forget the doubt that had been obviously plaguing him.

The introductions to the new people had gone without issue, but Callen was hoping that things would start to move along- he desperately wanted some tangible evidence to confirm where the leak had come from. His attention was piqued by another man that had stepped into the group- an air of familiarity washed over him as he took in the other man's features- and suddenly it all clicked into place for the agent.

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"Hetty!" Eric hollered- finally having some update to share with her.

"What is it Mr Beale?" she asked as she appeared seemingly from nowhere beside him.

"I have managed to gain access to the surveillance link that the CIA are running" he told her as he moved quickly back to his computer screen.

"And what do you have?" she queried- keen to discover what the latest update was in the worrisome case.

"There aren't just the feeds of Callen and Kort coming from the house- I picked up on a further two signals- one appears to be linked to Langley- the other to the FBI" Eric stated pointing at the four feeds currently displayed on the screen in front of them.

"Get me the director" she requested softly as she absorbed the situation.

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"How much longer" Sam muttered to himself as he leant against the bonnet of his car- awaiting any update from his partner.

"Relax Sam- Hetty would have told us if there was anything wrong" Kensi reassured the senior agent.

"Would she? I am beginning to doubt that" he responded, his thoughts slipping out into words before he could help them.

"What's going on Sam?" Kensi asked with a sigh- knowing full well that the experienced agent knew more than he was letting on.

"Nothing Kensi- nothing at all" Sam responded as he pulled himself upright.

"That's bullshit and we both know it" the young woman responded, being unusually blunt and cursing as her frustration made itself obvious. "Callen looks like he is ready to bolt at the merest opportunity- things are tense between him and Hetty and now you sound as if you have lost all faith in her too" Kensi reasoned, knowing that this really wasn't the best time for this conversation, but unable to help herself. Sam sighed, he should have realised that the astute female agent would have picked up on whatever was going on with their team leader.

"I don't know what is going on with him Kensi" Sam admitted softly. "I've tried to talk to him- but I just get the usual G Callen brush off. I think that something has gone on between him and Hetty- but if so neither of them are admitting it to me" he finished.

"I saw him and Hetty in some sort of discussion- Callen looked almost bitter, like he felt betrayed" Kensi stated quietly.

"We have to find out what is going on with them, otherwise I really think we are going to lose him" Sam stated sadly.

"We can't let that happen Sam- if he doesn't have us then what does he have?" Kensi asked- trying to ignore the tremor in her voice as she spoke.

"I think we have until the end of this case Kensi- he is a stubborn mule, he would argue that night is day and that the earth was flat if he was in a certain mood" Sam commented with a snort.

"Then we are just going to have to be more stubborn" Kensi suggested, a voice in her ear wig interrupting before she could continue- and within minutes their focus was well and truly back on the case at hand- and the safety of their friend.

End Chapter Six

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Thank you so much for all of your reviews! Apologies for the short length of the last chapter- hopefully the length of this one will make up for it!

Please keep leaving your reviews!

Chapter Seven

Callen watched on, keeping any hint of recognition from his face- his mind was whirling as he processed this latest twist in this apparently messed up case. His years of experience as an undercover agent assisted him in masking his reaction as a range of memories came flooding back. His thoughts drifted to 2002 and his second stint of service in the FBI- a time initially filled with positivity that had quickly turned sour, partly due to the man in front of him.

He followed the conversation- knowing that any lapse could cost the op, and completely unwilling to be the reason that happened. His piercing blue gaze made contact with the man stood off to the side- recognition instantly crossing the unchanged features. Callen bit on his lip as a smirk came to the mouth of the man, and a nod of acknowledgement headed his way.

"Listen let's cut to the chase- we have a better offer on the services you can provide" the newcomer finally interrupted- and Callen almost sighed in relief as he was grateful that the investigation could at least move along.

"There may be some give in our pricing- but you are paying for the fact that we can deliver" Kort responded smoothly- his American accent faultless as he spoke.

"You come highly recommended Mr Taylor- but everyone needs to tighten their belts- there just isn't the money at the moment" the man replied with a shrug and a grin.

"How much are we talking?" Kort asked, his face barely changing and his eyes locked on those of the male.

"You have been undercut by 500k" he responded. Kort whistled through his teeth in mock disbelief.

"I can't drop that low gentleman- who is your other source?" he queried, knowing it was unlikely that such information would be forthcoming. The other men laughed at the question, chattering between each other in an eastern European language that Callen followed with ease, realising that Kort would be unable to do so, Callen interjected.

"No the ignorant American will not fall for the fictional other party involved- and we don't do business with liars" he stated in perfect Russian- getting a jolt of satisfaction at the shock that registered on each of the faces in front of him.

"Please we meant no offence" the leader stated- his hands raised in a defensive gesture as he spoke. "We were just joking amongst ourselves" he added.

"Well we are here to do business- not joke around" Callen stated, turning around. "Come on Taylor- these guys are jokers" he commented as he made to leave. Kort followed, trusting the younger man's judgement.

"What now?" Kort whispered to the other agents as the two men walked out of the house and headed towards their car.

"Just trust me- if they think we are easy targets we will lose their respect and any chance of getting information as to the leak- they will come after us" Callen muttered in reply. The truth behind his words confirmed as footsteps came jogging up behind them.

"Hey please- sorry, we are sorry. It was a misguided attempt at lowering the price" the man told them softly, palms open in a defensive nature.

"Misguided? You were trying to rip us off out of half a million" Callen scoffed in disgust. "There will be plenty of buyers out there for what we have to offer- I won't work with someone that I don't trust" he added, his arms hung loosely by his side- the picture of self assurance.

"Please- you have my word, we will pay what you ask"

"And how do we know that you haven't gone elsewhere and branded our names around in an attempt to get a cheaper price elsewhere?" Callen queried, steel blue eyes locked onto the eyes of the man stood opposite him.

"There would be no benefit to us to reveal our partners- why would we inform the competition?"

"How can I trust you? For all we know you have already reported us to the authorities and are working with our competitors to get us out of the market" Callen suggested, gesturing wildly with his hands to emphasise his point- baiting the other man spectacularly.

"You don't need to worry about the authorities my friend- come back with me and we will discuss" the man offered the undercover agent. Callen heaved an exaggerated sigh before exchanging a glance with Kort, who shrugged his shoulders in silent agreement.

"Fine- but there are no guarantees that I will still be willing to work with you" he stated with a straight face.

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"He's good" Eric commented as he listened to the feed coming from the CIA's system.

"He's really good" Nell added in agreement.

"He's the best" Hetty agreed having stepped in just at the end of the conversation.

"You think he'll discover the leak?" Eric asked candidly.

"If anyone is capable of doing so then it is Mr Callen" Hetty stated, hoping to reassure her technician. "Are the others in position?" she asked.

"Yes, they have all checked in and confirmed location- they are all aware of the updates" Nell stated.

"Anything to link Mr Callen with our new player?" Hetty queried with trepidation.

"Unfortunately yes- they were both in the FBI at the same time over ten years ago" Eric explained with a sigh. "There is nothing that I can gain access to that specifically links them, but everything points to the fact that in every likelihood they knew each other" he finished.

"Anything to suggest he is the leak?" the ops manager tentatively asked.

"Only as much as anybody else- average service record, nothing particularly leaps out" Nell responded, narrowly avoiding a shrug of the shoulders as she replied. Hetty couldn't help the sigh that escaped her.

"Keep me updated Miss Jones" she requested softly, turning and leaving- she couldn't hide her displeasure at the current situation. She had an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach- she couldn't help but feel that her agent was at risk, and she wondered if this would be the straw that broke the camel's back for her agent.

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"Keep me posted Eric" Sam responded with a sigh as the technician updated him.

"Still waiting?" Kensi asked.

"Yep" Sam replied with a sigh, frustrated at the inactivity they were currently forced into.

"At least it means he hasn't been made" the junior agent commented in what she hoped was a reassuring fashion.

"He hasn't been made yet Kensi- you know Callen he'll push and he will push with no thought for his own safety" Same replied. Any response was interrupted by another voice in their ears.

"Hello- anyone remember me? Truly awesome and gifted detective? Handsome yet also completely modest?" the voice questioned in their ear wigs.

"What is it Deeks?" Kensi acknowledged with a grin.

"Ah so you do remember me young Kenselina! I was beginning to wonder" he stated.

"Have we hurt your iddy biddy feelings Deeks?" Sam asked, pleased for the momentary distraction.

"Well it is nice to know that someone would miss me had I been horrifically murdered" The detective commented. Is there any update?" he asked getting to the point at last.

"Nope- we are still waiting. The guys at Ops are doing some digging into the apparent FBI guy- but so far nothing to suggest either way" Sam explained- his frustration carried in his voice.

"Okie Dokie- I am sure that Callen knows exactly what he is doing" Deeks responded, correctly reading the former seal's train of thought.

"That's what worries me" Sam admitted with a sigh.

"Well try to remember little Marty stuck out here all alone" Deeks requested pitifully.

"All alone? Deeks you have a full team with you" Kensi commented.

"Fine you special secret agents go back to your little secret discussions- let me know if anything changes" Deeks responded before disconnecting. Kensi and Sam exchanged a glance- no words were needed, but they both felt a little bit lighter for the exchange.

End Chapter Seven

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